It's My Turn to Take Care of You
by BrandNewWings
Summary: It's always been Hide taking care of Kaneki, but when Hide wakes up screaming from a night terror, it is Kaneki's turn to bring the other back from the edge.


_Here it is – my second Tokyo Ghoul fanfic! I honestly can't stop these! My mind keeps creating different scenarios to put this couple in! Translate – I already have thought of another idea or two for stories. One of them will probably be bittersweet as a warning. But yes, I will be writing oneshots for hidekane and maybe Mika and Yuu from Seraph of the End (But I'm not so sure yet…haha.)_

 _If you'd like me to write something for these two lovebirds, angst, fluff, whatever, just send me a message! I will gladly write hidekane oneshots for you all! Plus (unless you tell me not to) I will give full credit of the idea of the story to you!_

 _I've been posting these stories and such on my Tumblr! So if you'd like to send me the prompts (anonymously if you're shy because I understand), chat, or whatever, come swing by my blog!_

 _Blog on Tumblr –_ **BrandNewWings**

 _As for my other stories that are not Tokyo Ghoul related, I'm currently in a slump with them. I know what I'm aiming for with the stories, but I just can't seem to motivate myself to get out of that slump, and personal things have been going on here in the reality I live in. But even with my neglectful updates, you guys still continue to check up on me to see if I'm still alive (How sweet…) I can't ask for better readers and fellow fanfic lovers! You guys have really been there for me at tough times! I will do my best to update my stories soon! [Bows] I will take responsibility for you all!_

 _While I'm on the subject of amazing fellow readers, one particularly vibrant hidekane fanatic has been really driving my creativity and love for the "Kaneki protecting Hide" dynamic! I never thought that I'd find someone who shares the same headcanons as me! Go say hi when you get the chance!_

 **MermaidMonster**

 _Again, thank you so much for reading this story! I hope it brings a smile to your face!_

 _Enjoy and have a wonderful week!_

* * *

 **It's My Turn to Take Care of You.**

* * *

 _Everywhere Hide looked, someone else's face was smudged or shadowed over. He couldn't recognize anyone. But there was one figure he would never mistake; it was Kaneki. The raven haired boy's back was to Hide. When Hide reached his friend and spun him around, Kaneki was crying with blood splattered all over him._

 _"Hide, help me..." Kaneki whimpered. There were tears running down his face._

 _With a yelp, Hide took a step back. The blond's eyes drifted down to his hands. He, himself, was literally red handed._

 _"Hide..." Kaneki's voice cracked._

 _Hide looked up at his friend, but his heart stopped. Before him was a blood drenched boy with white hair and unmistakable silver eyes. His face was void of all emotion._

 _"Kane-" Hide's voice stopped working. "Ka-" Try, he might, but his body wasn't responding to him._

 _"Why didn't you help me, Hide? You promised me that you would always help me." Kaneki's wounds were beginning to heal. "Where were you, Hide? It hurt a lot. I'm broken because of you."_

 _Hide could only cry as he watched the already broken boy's soul turn into dust. Kaneki's pupils shrunk while a sinister smile spread across the ghoul's face._

 _"Hey, Hide, I learned some new tricks during my time of torture." The ghoul cracked his knuckle. "Do you know what it sounds like to have a centipede in your ear? Huh? Do you, Hide?"_

 _Kaneki was swaying and stumbling around while chuckling to himself._

 _"Hey, Hide, what's a thousand..." Kaneki was grunting in pain. "What's a thousand...minus..." Kaneki screams as a centipede looking kagune thrashed from Kaneki's back. An ominous looking mask was shrouding the ghoul's face. "What's a thousand minus...seven?"_

 _Hide still couldn't talk. Couldn't even move. He was frozen._

 _"WHY WOULD YOU LET ME BECOME LIKE THIS?!" Kaneki shrieks before shooting his kagune towards Hide. "WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME ALONE?! I THOUGHT I COULD COUNT ON YOU!"_

Hide cries out and shrieks. Hide wakes up from the nightmare. His breath was ragged, and his whole body was drenched in cold sweat. His hair clung to his face and neck. It was the same dream that haunted him since the day Kaneki left. It wasn't this bad before, but once Hide discovered everything that happened to Kaneki, he spends most nights avoiding sleep. Hide doesn't want to dream about Kaneki's suffering. Hide bit his lower lip until he tasted iron.

Hide just sits there sobbing silently with his face in his hands. A soft grumble makes Hide jump. The faint brushes of fingertips caressed Hide's skin. The blond looked over and saw Kaneki fast asleep next to him; white hair covering Kaneki's eyes.

 _'I'm glad I didn't wake him up this time.'_ Hide thought to himself.

The blond runs his fingers through his hair before letting out a long sigh.

 _'I thought I could count on you.'_ The words whispered in Hide's head.

Tears pooled in Hide's eyes and fell. The human let out painful and distressed whimpers. He didn't know how to make the bad thoughts go away. Hide needed Kaneki. He needed him so bad!

The blond scooted close into Kaneki's arms. The boy nuzzled Kaneki's neck after giving Kaneki a light kiss. He filled his mind with Kaneki's scent and radiating body heat. The blond could feel his hair being messed with by Kaneki's breathing. Hide sighed in relief and satisfaction. He drapes his left arm over Kaneki's side, and buries his face into Kaneki's chest. Within a matter of minutes, Hide reluctantly fell back asleep.

* * *

Once Kaneki heard the evenly paced breaths from Hide, the half ghoul knew that Hide drifted back to sleep.

Kaneki carded his fingers through Hide's blond locks while he placed light kisses against the side of Hide's head. Every time Hide slept, this was to be expected. Each and every time Hide cried out Kaneki's name desperately only broke more of the ghoul's heart.

Hide would scream things like, _"I'm sorry! Kaneki, I'm sorry!"_ and _"I didn't know! I didn't know!"_ or _"Don't leave! I can still help! I'm sorry!"_

Kaneki clung the blond to him securely so he could feel every twitch the human made. He hoped that whatever Hide dreamt, the boy would sense Kaneki right there with him. The fact that Hide believed that he needed to apologize to Kaneki was so mind boggling. As if he had anything to apologize for!

The half ghoul rubbed small circles into the blond's back and murmured comforting words against Hide's hair. Anytime Hide wanted to turn over, Kaneki kept him in place. If Hide woke up on terror again, the first thing he needs to see is Kaneki.

The thing that bugged Kaneki the most was how Hide smiled and laughed it off when Kaneki tries to talk to Hide about it. Hide's been holding this storm inside and it's really taking a toll on the blond.

In the middle of Kaneki running his fingers back up to the top of Hide's head, the blond stirred.

"Kaneki...?" Hide asked with a broken voice.

Kaneki didn't respond. The half-ghoul just smiled gently. Hide rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. Even in the dark, Kaneki could make out dark circles under the human's eyes. Hide was still suffering from the previous night terror. Hide's trembling body was a dead giveaway to that fact.

"What are you doing up?" Hide asked the half-ghoul. He didn't process the situation entirely. Hide didn't realize that Kaneki was awake throughout the whole episode Hide had. But it was connecting little by little. When it finally all came together, Hide looked up at Kaneki with wide eyes. "K-Kaneki? I..."

"I love you." Kaneki says not breaking eyes once.

"Kanek-" Hide was blushing lightly at Kaneki's abrupt confession. This wasn't a new thing between them, but Kaneki isn't usually this direct. This wasn't just a confession though. Kaneki wanted Hide to understand that Kaneki never blamed Hide once. That he still loves Hide.

"I love you." Kaneki held Hide closer. The half-ghoul rubbed his thumb soothingly against the back of Hide's head. "So much. I love you so much."

Hide's steal wall of angsty emotions was beginning to crack. Kaneki could see it. He could see Hide's eyes beginning to glisten. Kaneki nuzzles his face in Hide's hair. The hand in Hide's hair slid down the back of the blond's neck. The other arm was holding Hide securely to him by the human's waist.

"Kaneki...wait...what are you talk-" Hide's voice was wavering. The tremble in Hide's lower lip was evident.

"Hide, I love you. You saved me. You saved me. Thank you. Thank you, Hide. Thank you." Kaneki knew Hide was about to crumble. The ghoul tucked Hide's head under his chin. He wanted to spare the human's pride when he cried.

"Kaneki...I'm so..." Kaneki could feel water rolling down his neck. "I'm so sorry!"

"Shhh, you don't have anything to be sorry for. You saved me, Hide. You saved me. You did. _You_ did." Kaneki kept chanting.

This went on for a while. Hide sobbed into Kaneki's chest while Kaneki whispered praise and love into Hide's skin. When Hide's body was beginning to calm down from the spine breaking shudders, Kaneki pulled his face away to look at his beloved friend.

There were fingers attached to Kaneki's shirt in a death grip. Hide was so terrified of Kaneki disappearing again. When Kaneki moved his face back, Hide whimpered painfully.

"Hide." Kaneki whispered softly.

Hide looked up at the ghoul. His eyes were red and swollen. The blond's hair was sticking up in every which direction.

"Kaneki, I'm sorry I let you down. You went through so much. I-" Kaneki cut Hide off by rubbing his thumb against Hide's lower lip.

"You never let me down. Not _once_. Even when I wasn't aware of it, you still had my back." Kaneki's thumb slid down Hide's neck and pulled back the blond's shirt collar a bit. A faint, healing scar was visible on Hide's shoulder. "And don't sell yourself short, Hide. It seems you went through a lot as well." Kaneki leaned down to kiss the scar.

Hide only held Kaneki closer to him. He needed the reassurance desperately. He wanted to know that everything was okay. But Hide felt selfish for wanting this of Kaneki. Especially when Kaneki needs the comforting more than Hide does.

"I'm sorry." Hide apologized again. "For making you do this. My problems are small and insignificant compared to yours. I should be comforting you instead..."

"Don't ever think that, Hide. I'm happy when you let me help you. I don't like seeing you suffer, especially if it's so I won't feel burdened. You always, _always_ , take on my problems. You comfort me when I'm at my worst. You bring me back every time. Now, it's _my_ turn to make _you_ feel better." Kaneki never looked away from Hide's gaze. A few stray tears left the blond's eyes.

"K-Kaneki..." Hide crumbled in Kaneki's embrace. "Kaneki. Kaneki. Kaneki. It hurts. Kaneki, it hurts so much."

"I know, Hide. I know. I'm here, though. I'm here now, so you're not alone anymore. Hide, I'm right here." As if to make the words more powerful in their meaning, Kaneki nuzzles Hide's hair again then rests his forehead against the blond's. Their eyes are still locked on each other's. Kaneki whispers his lover's name. "Hide. Hide. Hide."

Hide brushes his fingertips below Kaneki's left eye. Kaneki smiles and cups the side of Hide's face.

"I love you." Kaneki says and brings their lips together.

 _'It's my turn to take care of you, Hide.'_


End file.
